1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a continuous process for fractionating tallow and more specifically, to a continuous process for fractionating tallow into three fractions, namely, a cocoa butter-like fat, a liquid oil fraction, and a hard, high-melting fraction.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The most pertinent prior art is Luddy et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,585, in which tallow was partitioned into five fractions in a multi-step batch type crystallization. Each of the four crystallizations necessary to obtain five fractions required from 16 to 20 hours.